Plows and plowing are an integral and essential aspect of farming throughout the world, and have been for thousands of years. The plowing of land serves a number of important functions, in particular turning over the upper layer of soil in order to both aerate the soil, draw soil nutrients to the surface, and to bury weeds or remnants of the previous seasons crop, thereby replacing nutrients into the soil. Aerating the soil ensures that the soil can better retain moisture, thereby further improving the condition of the soil for the intended crop. Plowing also creates furrows into which seeds may then be located with uniform spacing, which is essential for the mechanization of farming.
This mechanization has however resulted in a number of problems, most notably of which is the proliferation of larger and larger tractors weighing multiple tons and which as a result damage the soil structure due to the weight of the vehicle compressing the soil, thereby undoing some of the benefits of the plowing action. These large machines are also relatively costly, and require an operator, meaning that in reality the tractors may be operational for only six to eight hours a day, the remaining time sitting idle.
In addition, in order to allow the combined tractor and trailing plow to be turned fully around at the end of each plowing run or furrow, it is necessary to provide a headland in the field to be plowed. The headland is a border at the perimeter of the field which provides space for this turning action, and which is not therefore initially plowed as the tractor and plow travel up and down the field, but which must then be plowed once the main area has been plowed by driving the tractor and plow around the perimeter of the field.
Document WO 2009/141465 A1 discloses a vehicle which can autonomously move between rows of crops in a greenhouse in order to perform different operations. The vehicle is provided with a chassis designed to receive different implements, as well as a coupling point to the rear for the coupling of machines and apparatuses. The vehicle includes an electronically controlled hydrostatic transmission system which enables the device to be moved in a continuous range of speeds so that it can be suitably adapted to requirements, as well as supplying power to the implements requiring same. The vehicle is moved by means of the dynamic balance of each of the caterpillar tracks forming a rolling system. For this purpose, a sensor system is provided consisting of pressure sensors, incremental encoders and a radar. The vehicle sensor system also includes ultrasound sensors distributed over the entire perimeter thereof, a magnetic compass and safety sensors. The information supplied by the sensor system enables vehicle localization and navigation in the working environment.
Document DE 32 21 535 A1 refers to a farm vehicle provided with a chassis comprising a main body and a tool carrier extending from the main body. A tool is attached to the tool carrier. The chassis is received on a plurality of wheels driven by an engine. The tool attached to the tool carrier is rotatable around the tool carrier. The tool carrier may be rotated by 180 degree around a vertical axis.
Document EP 1 369 007 A1 discloses a vehicle for autonomously performing a soil preparation. The device can be displaced autonomously, the device being provided with a wheel for driving and steering the device and with a harrow-unit for harrowing the soil. The device comprises only one wheel. A device for autonomously performing a soil preparation. The device can be displaced autonomously, the device being provided with a wheel for driving and steering the device and with a harrow-unit for harrowing the soil. The harrow-unit is provided with a packer roller that is subdivided into a number of packer-roller-units that are rotatable separately from each other.
Document WO 2012/010722 A1 refers to an implement comprising at least one first plow share in a front position, provided with anti-rollback means, and at least a second plow share in a rear position, with other anti-rollback means, said plow shares being interconnected by alternate approaching and distancing means; a telematics control unit based on a computer system and a global positioning system for the autonomous guiding and moving of the implement; a steering system that is formed by an oscillating support that can rotate in a plane perpendicular to the advancement of the implement, and lifts one of the plow share in relation to the ground and displaces it laterally; and a power supply system using renewable energy or internal or external combustion engines mounted on said implement.
Document 95/31759 A1 relates to an autonomous navigation system for an unmanned vehicle. The tracks or wheels are driven by hydraulic reversible motors, having the output thereof regulated by valves whose relative control can be used for controlling both heading and speed. The vehicle carries a navigation computer which receives positional information from an external positioning system. A ground station computer has been supplied with a digitized map over a predetermined path and the ground station computer is in a two-way radio communication with the vehicle navigation computer which is supplied with the information relating to the path. An established path, which is received from the external positioning system, is compared to the predetermined path and the vehicle navigation is modified for compensating the deviations.
Document DE 905 433 relates to a working vehicle. A chassis is received on a caterpillar system.